Did Parkettes finally catch a break?

I've wondered for a long time how long it would take for Donna and Bill Strauss and the rest of the group at Parkettes Gymnastics to finally get some manner of closure for the way an earlier gymnast, Kim Kelly, was so rudely treated by the United States gymnastics fraternity back in 1992.

Kelly did everything she had to do to qualify for the Olympic team that year. And then, a conniving bunch of coaches and officials simply blew her off. And guess who was right in the middle of it all: Bela Karolyi.

You may not remember Betty Okino, but Karolyi, the persuasive coach who came to the states from his native Romania, managed to get her petitioned through USA Championships and Olympic Trials that year because she was injured. She was not physically ready for Barcelona, either, but she went. Wendy Bruce, who finished behind Kelly at USA Championships and Olympic Trials, went, too. And Michelle Campi, who was injured just before Olympic Trials, went as the alternate.

Ever since that year, the Strausses have endured a very uneasy alliance with Bela Karolyi and his wife, Marta, who has been the national team coordinator for the last two Games. It seems that no matter what others think of the Karolyis, the true feeliings seldom erupt.

When I spoke to Donna Strauss the other day, she labeled the International Olympic Committee's decision to strip China of the bronze medal in the team competition at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and give the medals to the Americans, who wound up fourth, as "justice."

Kristen Maloney becomes the first Parkette to get an Olympic medal. Jodi Yocum was an alternate on the 1976 team in Montreal; Hope Spivey competed on the 1988 team in Seol, South Korea.

I found it interesting that not even David Barron of the Houston Chronicle had a quote from the media-happy Karolyi in its Thursday edition -- the Karolyi ranch is located near Houston. I can only hope David didn't feel his story needed it. I know mine didn't.

Steve Penny has been president of USA Gymnastics since 2005. He was formerly involved in cycling, and in 2000, he was in Sydney and witnessed both the roller coaster performance of the gymnastics team and Marty Nothstein's gold medal-winning effort in track cycling.

He has not always been the most popular guy in the sport, but he and Kathy Kelly, the women's program director, championed the Americans' cause in the case involving the Chinese at Sydney.

But Penny refused to accept too much credit. "It was not our effort, it was the FIG (International Gymnastics Federation) following the information they uncovered," he told me. "More than anything, what we did was make sure it was on people's radar screens, that it didn't get brushed aside. Even from the beginning, it was never a USA Gymnastics issue, but an international one. They lived up to their responsibilities."

Donna Strauss said she has "been talking for two years to Kathy (Kelly) and Steve" about the underage-gymnast issue. She said she felt the two national officials were "going to make it happen" -- in other words, present the 2000 U.S. Olympians with bronze medals, even if the IOC had not supported the FIG's recommendation to take the medal from the Chinese. "They will make a big deal of it now, and hopefully, the kids will accept it."

Kelli Hill, the Hill's Gymnastics head coach who also was the head coach of the 2000 Olympic team, was excited about the announcement, although she, like Donna Strauss, thought it would not happen even though there were rumors way back in 2000 about underage girls on the Chinese team.

But, it's done. I hope that Maloney will now accept the closure that Kim Kelly never got from her 1992 snub. Kim still calls herself an Olympian -- and she can sahow you her photograph on the cover of the USA Gymnastics' publication to prove it. But somehow, that's a hollow reward.

One person who commented on my story in Thursday's paper wrote, "Winning a medal in this fashion is like winning a game of pool by your opponent scratching on the 8 ball." I can't agree less. The pool player who scratches did nothing illegal; the Chinese tried to get away with something. They got caught -- albeit years later.

I'm reminded that back in 2000, the third highest all-around score at the USA Championships was posted by Parkette Kristal Uzelac. That kid was dynamite. She could have almost guaranteed a strong run at the team gold in Sydney. But, she was too young.

Kristal watched the Sydney Games on television and dreamed of having her own chance in 2004. It never happened. But, that's a tragedy for another day.

In the meantime, let's celebrate Kristen Maloney's success. She never got to do it 10 years ago. She went right from Sydney to UCLA without even stopping over at her Pen Argyl home. Today, she should be the toast of the town once again.

NBA PLAYOFFS: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE SAD

Two weeks into the NBA playoffs, and I'm not bored yet, but getting there. Some observations:

-- Didn’t realize that Jerry Stackhouse was still in the league. Of course, he didn’t realize that I was still editing and writing sports for a living, either.

-- Was doubly surprised to see that Kurt Thomas was still in the NBA. When we last saw Thomas, he was trying to crack Larry King’s cribbage lineup.

-- No matter how dramatic the dunks, sensational the shooting or galvanizing the game, the best part of any NBA telecast on TNT remains Charles Barkley on the halftime show.

-- It’s not true that the ratings-savvy NBA had disgraced former referee Tim Donaghy on standby to do Game 6 and 7 of the Lakers’ series had the Kobeyashis lost Game 5 to Oklahoma City.

-- If Cavs’ LeBron James plays through his elbow strain and bone bruise, Knicks’ 2010-11 seaon ticket-holders will file an official protest with NBA Commish David Stern.

-- Is it possible to feel sorry for outspoken billionaire owner Mark Cuban, who means well and whose Mavs have never won an NBA title despite great regular season records only to lose heartbreaking playoff series after heartbreaking playoff series to inferior teams? No.

Rain delay features roller coasters and wrestling

There are entertaining rain delays (jumbo tron videos, dancing dirt dudes and players diving on the tarp ala the "slip and slide.") And then there's this rain delay between Florida Atlantic and Western Kentucky, which featured dancing, improv and a human wrestling ring.

One player even performed the patented "elbow" perfected by Freedom High School graduate and former WWE superstar "The Rock." Check out the video below:

The delay took place before a game between the teams on April 16 in Boca Raton, Florida. After play resumed Florida Atlantic rolled to a 10-3 victory. (And after watching the video -- which is totally worth your 4 1/2 minutes -- I'm betting the pregame festivities were more entertaining than the nine innings that followed).

Leftovers from Lafayette's spring football game

Clearing out the notebook after a Maroon and White washout at Fisher Stadium:

When I arrived at the stadium about 75 minutes before game time, I saw a group of athletes going through a training series that looked a lot like I had seen other times at Lafayette practices. These guys were wearing T-shirtrs and shorts, and Brad Potts, the Leopards' strength and conditioning coach, was putting them through their paces.

Turns out the 21 guys are all members of the 2010 Lafayette recruiting class. They were on hand -- and some came from as far away as Florida -- for the spring game. While NCAA rules prohibit their working with the football coaches -- or having their photos taken or being interviewed by people like me -- they were permitted to get a feel for the Potts training regimen on the field and, later, in the weight room.

Potts told me later that the players -- and the group included some impressive specimens -- were a bit overwhelmed even at a session that was little more than an initiation or a sneak preview of what is to come. "But we try to give them an idea of the kind of things they should be working on over the summer," he added.

He said that recruits in recent years have been coming in with better training and weightlifting knowledge and skills. They need not worry about that at Lafayette. If they don't have the proper work ethic when they arrive, Potts will soon have them on the right track.

I couldn't tell one kid from another at the distance from which I saw them. I do know that among the attendees was Pat Mputu, a running back from Orlando, Fla., whose highlight film has been making the rounds on Lafayette football chat rooms lately. In fact, if you'd like a look at the film for yourself, here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjGg5ZUGsUM. Potts said that another one of the kids, a 6-3, 280-pound offensive lineman from Hunterdon Central High in New Jersey named Brad Bormann, bears a resemblance to "Rocky IV" opponent Ivan Drago. I have to see that to believe it.

THE COCAPTAINS

Before the start of spring practice, Mitchell Bennett told me he thought it might be a bit difficult to lead fom the wide receiver position. Evidentally his teammates thought he was capable of getting the job done because they picked him and linebacker Mike Schmidlein as the cocaptains for 2010.

"I was really pleased and not surprised that our team selected those two," head coach Frank Tavani said. He called them "two guys who will really work well together a do a great job. Both did a good job in speaking to the team about what they expected and what they wanted to do. They'll be demanding of their peers and their own friends as well as everyone else. I'm looking forward to working with them.

Bernnett is listed as a senior, but because of an injury during his freshman year, he will have another another season of eligibility in 2011. He has to apply for the extra year, but because of his studies -- he's an engineering major -- it's virtually certain that he will do it. That means he could be a two-year captain, and Tavani said that has not happened in his 11 years as head coach -- and he doesn't remember it happening while he served as an assistant under Bill Russo.

"It's an honor and a privilege to be picked to lead my team," Bennett said. "Like I talked about in my captaincy speech, it's not an 'I' thing, it's a 'we' thing. I didn't say anything about myself because we want to see where the team's going to go. We want to improve as a team; it's not an individual sport. Nobody wants a guy saying 'me, me, me' or 'I can do this' or 'I can do that'. I want to know what you can do to make the team better -- getting us all together and on the same page and we go from there."

Schmidlein (wearing sweatshirt in above photo while working with linebackers prior to the spring game) was certainly no surprise. He was the leading tackler on the team a year ago with 100, including seven for losses. He also had one interception and two sacks. He'll step right into the casptaincy spot vacated by buddy Mark Leggiero, who had taken from from still another linebacker, Andy Romans.

"I learned a lot from them in linebacker meetings and just being around them," Schmidlein said of Romans and Leggiero.

Schmidlein had to sit out spring practice and also missed the offseason training program while rehabbing a shoulder injury. He said that right now, he's at about 80 percent, and he's scheduled to see the doctor again on Monday. He hopes to get clearance to begin lifting weights. He has the reputation of a voracious lifter, so this long hiatus has been rough for him -- "I feel like I wasn't with my family," he said.

Schmidlein said that in his speech to the team prior to the election, he emphasized "playing for the right reasons. Coach(John) Loose tells us all the time that we have to play for each other, 100 percent every single play. Wins will come, championships will come."

Last year, more than a dozen seniors threw their hats in the ring for captain. This senior group is smaller, and I was told that only half a dozen guys addressed the team. Tavani said that he could see in the days leading up to the vote that Schmidlein and Bennett were asserting themselves at the practices, which made them strong candidates even before the speeches.

THE QB SITUATION

Ryan O'Neil may not yet be the quarterback-elect, but he did some nice things Friday night.

To be fair, Andrew Shoop had only one full series before the rains came. and Marc Quilling was on the sidelines again.

O'Neil said that during the Leopards' previous scrimmage, "we didn't really bring a lot of intensity offensively. We came out flat, so I was hoping that this being the last scrimmage of spring, we'd come out with a lot of passion and get after it. I'm happy we did."

Of the three-man battle, O'Neil said he welcomes the competition, which "brings the best out of all of you. I'm fine with it. Of course, you wish you could get as many reps as possible, but sitting back in practice you get to read the defense and see different things. We all are best friends, so it's competition on the field, but off the field we don't let it get to us."

O'Neil really did come to Easton as a 170-pounder, and he laughed when that was brought up. "I'm up to around 205, so it shows that that coach Potts does a great job with us in the weight room. It has helped me a lot."

He said he played high school ball at 165, "but clearly, you realize after your first year in college that you're not goinig to play unless you're bigger and stronger. I don't think I could play if I was 170 pounds."

THIS AND THAT

LEOPARD STRONGMEN -- While I had Coach Potts' ear, I asked him who was the strongest player on the squad. He didn't have to think too long before mentioning a couple of linebackers who have been held out of spring practice because of injury. Schmidlein squats 600 pound and bench presses over 400, and Ben Eaton, who has what looks like a Mr. America physique, squats 575 and benches 425. But, Potts said, pound for pound, the honor might go to defensive back Donald Ellis. The senior returning starter weighs about 190 pounds, but Potts says he squats 575 and benches 350. Whew! Mike Joseph, a former Leopard player and coach who was in the RCN television booth with Gary Laubach Friday night, told me he thinks the biggest difference between the players of today and those of his day is the physicality of the guys in the secondary. Ellis would bear that out.

GETTING KICKS IN ARIZONA -- Placekicker Davis Rodriguez said he had an enjoyable and productive weekend with kicking guru Gary Zauner in the Phoenix area. (They are shown at right) Davis said there wasn't an aspect of the kicking game that Zauner didn't touch on, including the mere body positioning prior to the kick. Davis has been invited to return to Zauner's place for a pro development session over the summer. Sounded like he'd like to go, too. He had only one field-goal try in the thunderstorm-shortened game, connecting from 44 yards out. That should make Leopards fans and coaches feel good because Rodriguez is an important element of the Leopards' scoring machine.

WHO WAS THAT GUY ON THE P.A.? -- Jim Finnen, the long-time voice of Lafayette football and basketball games, was basking in the sun in Aruba on Friday; so Lafayette did some shifting of personnel for the spring game. Dan Mowdy, who is usually a sideline reporter for the RCN stuff, was in the P.A. booth. Working the P.A. is nothing new for him; he's announced for gymnastics at several Olympic Games and also at USA Gymnastics championship events, as well as at lots of other sporting events. With Mike Joseph sitting with Laubach in the play-by-play booth for RCN, the telecast needed a new sideline man: John Leone, who has been Laubach's sidekick for years, handled the duty.

THE OLD GUARD LOOKS ON -- Two of the leaders of the Lafayette defensive unit a year ago, Ian Dell and 2009 tricaptain Andrew Poulson, stood at the top of the stadium and watched the proceedings Friday night. Poulson is a mere shadow of his former self -- he's dropped 40 pounds and he's got a haircut that makes him look very establishment (and he says it depresses him, too). Dell has been working to keep the weight and the strength up, hoping to have a tryout with an NFL team. He said he had a good workout at a play day recently at West Chester, but the session did not attract a lot of attention because it was butting heads with a similar event in Massachusetts. Poulson and Dell both seemed a little bummed out when I brought up the fact that their uniform numbers were right back in circulation this year -- senior defensive end Lewis Irving is wearing Poulson's #90, while Kyvory Henderson, a junior defensive lineman, is wearing Dell's #55.

WHEN A SPORTS GUY GETS A BABYSITTING ASSIGNMENT ...

When a sports guy gets a babysitting assignment, which I have this weekend when I take care of my nephew and niece, he is compelled to adopt the following rules:

(1) Thou shalt be an ample supply -- defined as at least 1.5 pints -- of Turkey Hill iced tea in the fridge at all times. (If not, at the discretion of the babysitter, the nephew will be dispatched to get some.)

(2) The family room TV, at all times, shall be turned to one of the following: A) Golf; B) Big Ten Network; C) Game Show Network; D) Any James Bond movie; or E) Any Rodney Dangerfield movie (except for "Ladybugs," which never should have been made).

(3) Thirty-seven (37) percent of all stuffed grape leaves served during the babysitting tenure shall go to the babysitter, who has the complete and sole discretion at any time to raise the percentage by as many as five (5) percentage points.

(4) Consumption of any and all potato chips shall first be approved by the babysitter, who may at that time and at any time -- at his sole discretion -- decide to consume said chips himself.

(5) The babysitter has full and sole discretion -- at any time -- to command a game of A) Nok-hockey; B) Pool; C) Basketball; or D) Poker.

(6) At no point during the babysitting tenure shall the following games be played -- or the idea even broached that these games should be played: A) Uno; B) Yahtzee; and C) Monopoly.

(7) And finally, any and all goofy and/or embarrassing jokes, sayings and mannerisms expressed by babysitter shall not only be tolerated by the children, but in fact shall be embraced by said children as funny, thoughtful and/or meaningful.

TIGER, ARE YOU LISTENING?

Nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors, but it sure is stunning to see the contrast in the personal lives of Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.

The stark difference was seen in the teary embrace that Mickelson gave his wife Amy, who is fighting breast cancer, after Mickelson won his third Masters on Sunday.

Mickelson had taken time off from golf last year to help his wife through cancer treatments. (Mickelson's mother also is fighting breast cancer.) And this Masters was the first time in about a year that Mickelson's wife and three children were able to travel with him to a golf tournament, because of her health issues.

On the other hand, Woods' wife Elin chose not to attend the Masters, their marriage possibly still touch-and-go following Tiger's admission of infidelity.

So, if you're keeping score: Woods finishes as an also-ran and is all alone, if not permanently certainly temporarily.

Mickelson, though, not only wins the tournament but wins it for his family, which was there in full force to support him. Even during his victory speech at Augusta, Mickelson made it a priority to recognize and thank his wife.

"I really want to recognize my family, my wife; we've been through a lot this year, and it means a lot to share some joy together. She's an incredible wife, an incredible mother, and has been an inspiration for me this last year," Mickelson said. "... This has been an incredible week, an emotional week.. ... and it's something we will share the rest of our lives."

A win for family values? Perhaps. Meanwhile, Tiger, are you listening?

Leopards' Rodriguez seeks help of a pro

Just as you are not likely to know the name Butch Harmon or Hank Haney unless you’re big into golf, you probably won’t know Gary Zauner unless kicking footballs is your passion.

Davis Rodriguez likes kicking football more than almost anything else, and during a three-year career at Lafayette, he has made some major contributions to his team’s success.

But like any high-quality athlete who wants to be the best he can possibly be, Rodriguez knows he can be even better in his senior season than he was in any of the previous three – including his sophomore year, when he was successful on 45 of 48 kicks overall.

With that in mind Rodriguez will spend this weekend in the Phoenix, Ariz., area getting some one-on-one time with Zauner, who has been working with kickers for 35 years, including three stints as special teams coordinator in the NFL. In other words, the guy knows his stuff.

Zauner, who has his kicker antennae out at all times, took note of Rodriguez during that big 2008 season and invited him to become a Facebook friend. They have not met face-to-face before now, but the Leopard kicker is hoping his brief trip will be productive.

“You can always learn more from someone like him,” Rodriguez said the other day as we chatted while his Lafayette teammates were going through a spring practice in 92-degree heat at Fisher Stadium.

“If he brings back one little tip, it will be worthwhile,” said Lafayette Coach Frank Tavani.

Placekicking is such a mental deal that it may be that Zauner’s goal this weekend will be to give Rodriguez some tips that will help him deal with things not related to the strength of his leg.

The 5-11, 210-pound rising senior from St. Petersburg, Fla., is coming off a season that he knows should have been better. He missed his first four field-goal attempts of the year. He finished 8-for-16 on FGs and 37-for-40 on PATs.

He knows that mental things – his concern about a new holder and a new snapper, for instance – affected him adversely early last year. Every one of his misses in the first two gamesa was well within his range – 38, 34, 32 and 23 yards. And each miss weighed heavily on him, even though Tavani gave him constant reassurance and his teammates were sympathetic, too.

Davis says he’s harder on himself than anyone else could ever be. He doesn’t feel bad for himself when he misses, but does feel he’s letting everyone else down. That feeling was never more real to him than in 2008 against Holy Cross, when he missed his only PAT of the entire season and Lafayette wound up losing by a point in the final seconds of the game. But I’m here to tell you right now that Rodriguez was not the defender on the desperation pass that never should have been allowed to be caught.

He didn’t come right out and say it, but I got the impression that Rodriguez would like to kick for money once his college career is finished. He has been working hard to strengthen his leg even more this year, and he says it’s paying off. I saw him hit from about 50 yards out while kicking before the start of practice. He says he thinks he can be effective from 55 and in without a wind and maybe from 58 with a tailwind.

Confidence in the “team” won’t be a problem. Long snapper Kevin Doty got some experience last year. Chris Cosgrove, who Rodriguez says is the best holder he’s ever had, is gone; but sure-handed wide receiver Kyle Hayes has stepped in. Hayes and Rodriguez have been getting acquainted for several weeks, and Rodriguez said he has a positive feeling now.

Rodriguez comes out of a talent-rich high school program at St. Petersburg Catholic. He said he’s keeping tabs on a number of high-profile former teammates – offensive tackle Elvis Fisher of Missouri, running back Jock Sanders of West Virginia and wide receiver Riley Cooper of Florida. Another ex-mate, Andrew Harris, played two seasons at Ole Miss but is not enrolled there this semester.

THE NUMBERS GAME

I was looking for running back Jerome Rudolph at Wednesday’s practice. He was not listed as one of the guys not participating this spring, but I could not find his No. 32 among the running backs. The only No. 32 I did see was being worn by injured linebacker Ben Eaton.

Well, it turns out that Rudolph, the most experienced returnee at RB, asked to have his jersey number switched to 27, a number that was worn the last four years by defensive back Eric McGovern. McGovern graduates next month. When Rudolph was given No. 27, Eaton, who wore No. 52, requested No. 32.

So you can tell the players without a program, here’s a rundown of other Leopard changes:

Vaughn Hebron, RB – was #31, is now #22, the number his dad wore with the Denver Broncos and the number worn by Lafayette running back Maurice White last year.

Lewis Irving, DE – was #62, is now #90, which was worn last year by Andrew Poulson.

Zach Schleimer, OG – was #70, is now #50, which was worn last year by Allan Whitesell.

Carl Knowles, DB – was #46, is now #20, which was worn last year by DeAndre Morrow.

Emery Young, RB – was #4, is now #21, which was worn last yearby Tyrell Coon.

Kyvory Henderson, DL – was #61, is now #55, which was won last year by Ian Dell.

Michael Moses, WR – was #48, is now #81, which was worn last year by Michael Bolton.

Tahir Basil, DL – was #65, is now #96.

Other players you might see this spring but who have no numbers listed in the prospectus, are: offensive tackle Andrew Anastor, a transfer from Northeastern, is #76; Tyler McFarlane, a defensive back who transferred from Hofstra, is #41; and linebacker Lucas Yocum, who came in from Blair Academy, is #44. Northeastern and Hofstra dropped football, thus allowing Anastor and McFarlane to transfer and play immediately.

PRACTICE IN PICTURES

I have never claimed to be much of a photographer, but I did take some shots on Wednesday. Here they are.

The offensive line had a spirited head-butting with the defense, Here, Scott Biel (59), a 6-3, 290-pound rising junior who is one of two returning OL starters, does his thing. Biel and Anthony Buffolino, who were on the right side last year, have moved to the left side for 2010.

Quarterbacks Andrew Shoop (7) and Ryan O'Neil do a little agility work under the watchful eye of offensive coordinator-quarterbacks coach Mickey Fein. These two and Marc Quilling, who was not practicing because of a quad contusion, are vying for the QB spot vacated by Rob Curley, who is now playing pro ball in Sweden.

Mitchell Bennett has the tools to become the premkier receiver in the Patriot League -- in fact, he and teammate Mark Layton have to be the league's best duo. Bennett is 6-4, 200 pounds, has great hands and loves to make catches in traffic.

Vaughn Hebron (22), who is about to take a handoff from QB Andrew Shoop during a brief hitting session, is wearing the number that was worn by has dad, Vaughn, who played for the Eagles and the Broncos. Mo White, Lafayette's power back last year, wore No. 22 also, and Hebron is expected to be a White-type performer. He will be a sophomore, and he is currently No. on the depth chart.

Wednesday was more like mid-August than early April -- temperature at 92 degrees at the start of practice.

TIGER NEWS CONFERENCE ANALYSIS: A SHIFT IN FOCUS

The most notable aspect of Tiger Woods' 35-minute news conference today at Augusta National was its shifting of the storyline. Woods' marital infidelity and subsequent rehabilitation, which he touched on only in nonspecifics, was replaced by his denial of using performance-enhancing drugs.

Woods admitted to receiving treatment from Dr. Anthony Galea, a Canadian specialist in sports medicine whose client list overflows with high-profile athletes. Galea is under a federal investigation for providing athletes with PEDs, which Woods said he has never received or used.

"He never gave me HGH or any PEDs," Woods said. "I've never taken that my entire life. I've never taken any illegal drug ever, for that matter."

While saying he "lied and deceived a lot of people," Woods attempted to appear forthcoming in discussing his time with Galea. Woods said the doctor came to his house and provided him with Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy to treat complications from 2008 knee surgery.

Woods also sustained a torn Achilles in December 2008, which he said required further PRP treatments and sessions in a hyperbaric chamber.

Woods said he sought Galea because of his experience treating athletes. He also said federal investigators have contacted his agent and promised "full cooperation" if he's interviewed.

"But as of right now, they have not asked for my time," Woods said.

Questions about performance-enhancing drugs could follow Woods longer than those about his private-life scandal, particularly since Woods has been outspoken against them his entire career.

Woods also admitted to taking prescription medications, including Ambien and Vicodin, at various points in his career. He said he began taking Ambien to help him sleep prior to his father Earl's death in 2006.

"I was on the Ambien was when my dad was sick and when my dad died," Woods said. "That was a tough time in my life."

Woods would have fans believe that he has had nothing but tough times in recent years, which included the birth of his two children. He described an almost joyless existence in golf despite all his victories.

"Have I been winning, have I been competing, have I been doing well? Yeah, I have," he said. "I've won numerous times the last few years but I wasn't having anywhere near the amount of fun. Why? Because look at what I was engaged in. When you live a life where you're lying all the time, life is not fun. And that's where I was. Now that's been stripped all away and here I am. And it feels fun again."

Other observations from the session:

-- Woods was politely oblique about anything personal, other than his time with Galea. He admitted to sustaining a "busted lip" (which required five stitches) and a sore neck in the November car crash outside his Florida home but didn't say why he went to rehab. "That's personal, thank you," he said.

-- He admitted that wife Elin will not be at the Masters but dodged a follow-up question about the appropriateness of playing. "I'm excited to play this week," he said when asked if he should be returning to the game so soon.

-- Woods seemed to show genuine emotion talking about being in rehab on Feb. 8, his son Charlie's first birthday. "That hurts a lot," he said. "I vowed I would never miss another one after that."

-- Regarding his on-course behavior, Woods made a curious admission that will be interesting to watch. He said he wants to be "more respectful of the game," which could prompt an unintended consequence. "I'm actually going to try and obviously not get as hot when I play," Woods said. "But then again, when I'm not as hot, I'm not going to be as exuberant, either. I can't play one without the other, and so I made a conscious decision to try and tone down my negative outbursts and consequently I'm sure my positive outbursts be will calmed down as well."

In all, the media session was cordial and far-ranging and not very deep, about what anybody could have expected. As he walked into the room, Woods tapped a few reporters on the back and later called them "my friends." If he can win over that crowd again, he'll go a long way toward winning back the public.